Interactive network game and methods thereof

Abstract

A method of providing a game session for a network game includes communicating information for the game session to a game participant. The game participant interacts with the game, thereby accumulating a game session attribute, such as currency, experience points, and the like. A portion of the accumulated game session attribute is allocated to a game character associated with a non-participant of the game session. In an embodiment, this allows a character associated with a player that is unable to attend the game session to achieve the benefits of the game session, so that the character is able to maintain parity with other characters in a gaming group.

1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving a request for a game session via a network;   communicating first information representative of a game environment via the network in response to the request;   receiving second information indicative of a first session participant's interaction with the game environment, the first session participant associated with a first game character;   determining a first game session attribute based on the second information; and   setting a first attribute of a second game character based on the first game session attribute, the second game character associated with a first non participant of the game session.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first game session attribute is indicative of an amount of experience points accumulated during the first game session. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first attribute of the second game character is a character experience attribute. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first game session attribute is indicative of an amount of in-game currency accumulated during the first game session. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein setting the first attribute of the second game character comprises:
 assigning a first portion of the first game session attribute to the first game character;   assigning a second portion of the first game session attribute to the second game character; and   setting the first attribute based on the second portion.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first portion is larger than the second portion. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein assigning the second portion comprises:
 determining an initial value based on a proportion of the game session attribute; and   setting the second portion to a threshold value in response to determining the initial value exceeds the threshold value.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a second game session attribute based on the second information; and   setting a second attribute of a second game character based on the second game session attribute.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 setting a second attribute of a third game character based on the first game session attribute, the third game character associated with a second non participant of the game session.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein setting the first attribute of the second game character comprises setting the first attribute of the second game character in response to determining the first game character and the second game character are associated with a common game group. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein setting the first attribute of the second game character comprises setting the first attribute of the second game character in response to determining the first attribute does not exceed a threshold. 
   
   
       12 . A computer readable medium physically embodying a computer program comprising a plurality of instructions to manipulate a processor, the plurality of instructions comprising instructions to:
 receive a request for a game session via a network;   communicate first information representative of a game environment via the network in response to the request;   receive second information indicative of a first session participant's interaction with the game environment, the first session participant associated with a first game character;   determine a first game session attribute based on the second information; and   set a first attribute of a second game character based on the first game session attribute, the second game character associated with a first non participant of the game session.   
   
   
       13 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the first game session attribute is indicative of an amount of experience points accumulated during the first game session. 
   
   
       14 . The computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the first attribute of the second game character is a character experience attribute. 
   
   
       15 . The computer readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the first game session attribute is indicative of an amount of in-game currency accumulated during the first game session. 
   
   
       16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions to set the first attribute of the second game character comprise instructions to:
 assign a first portion of the first game session attribute to the first game character;   assign a second portion of the first game session attribute to the second game character; and   set the first attribute based on the second portion.   
   
   
       17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the first portion is larger than the second portion. 
   
   
       18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions to assign the second portion comprise instructions to:
 determine an initial value based on a proportion of the game session attribute; and   set the second portion to a threshold value in response to determining the initial value exceeds the threshold value.   
   
   
       19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of instructions further comprise instructions to:
 determine a second game session attribute based on the second information; and   set a second attribute of a second game character based on the second game session attribute.   
   
   
       20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of instructions further comprise instructions to:
 set a second attribute of a third game character based on the first game session attribute, the third game character associated with a second non participant of the game session.